Palestinian medics protest in Gaza against the killing of the nurse Razan Al-Najjar, who was shot dead by Israeli soldiers.
Photograph: APAImages/REX/Shutterstock

Since 30 March Palestinians in Gaza have been protesting – asserting their right to return to the homes from which their families were expelled or were forced to flee in 1948 and in 1967. They are also demonstrating against the appalling conditions caused by Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza. In response, the Israeli government has instructed its troops to use live ammunition to fire on demonstrators, including children, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 and injuring over 13,000 Palestinians.

This Friday, Palestinians demonstrate again. Protests in solidarity with those demonstrating have taken place across the UK this week.

We welcome the resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish an independent commission of inquiry to investigate all violations of international law arising from these events and condemn the UK government’s decision not to support that resolution.

We note with extreme concern that, since 2014, the UK government has approved over £490m worth of arms exports to Israel, including small arms and components for sniper rifles similar or identical to those being used to kill and maim unarmed Palestinians.

We call for the immediate suspension of the UK arms trade with Israel until the proposed UN inquiry has been allowed to conclude its investigation and it can be proved there is no risk that arms supplied by the UK may be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

• We are writing to express our outrage and condemnation at the killing of Razan al-Najjar in the Gaza strip last Friday, 1 June 2018. Razan was a 21-year-old nurse who volunteered as a paramedic and was providing medical attention to injured protesters when she was fatally shot by an Israeli sniper. Razan was wearing clothing that clearly identified her as a medic and in no way posed a threat to the Israel Defence Forces.

Razan is the 119th Palestinian to be killed during the protests in Gaza over the last 10 weeks that have seen 13 children and two journalists also killed. Over 13,000 Palestinians have been injured, including over 200 medics, and over 7,000 of whom were struck by live ammunition and rubber bullets.

We are deeply concerned by the level of violence that has been used against unarmed protesters and the clear disregard for the lives of medical workers. The killing of medical workers is a violation of the Geneva conventions. We are also concerned that British-made weapons, including sniper rifles, that have been sold to Israel are being used to commit potential war crimes. We call on the British government to put forward a statement condemning the violence against medical workers and volunteers by the Israeli army; to push for independent investigations into the killing of Razan al-Najjar and the use of British-made weapons during the Great Return March; and to immediately put in place an arms embargo on Israel pending completion of the investigations.